A Hampshire-based pub firm with its own craft brewery is to be floated on the stockmarket to raise funds for an expansion programme.

Upham Group plc, which owns 13 pubs and manages another two, is valued at £36.8 million.

Today the group announce plans to float on London’s junior AIM market in a bid to raise £12m to fund further acquisitions.

Upham has opened four new pubs in the past 12 months, and the Group aims to double the size of the estate to 30.

The business began its life as a small brewery with one pub in 2009. Its founder was Charles Good, now group chairman, who in the mid-1990s played a major role in turning the Shoprite Group Ltd into Scotland’s third largest food retailer, before it was sold to Kwik Save in 1995 for £55 million.

In 2013 Chris Phillips, the man who helped to launch the Slug & Lettuce chain and founded Front Page Pubs, was recruited as chief executive to oversee an expansion programme.

Between 2013 and 2015 Upham’s revenue grew from £4.6m to £12.2m making it the south’s fastest growing pub and brewery group In 2013 the company opened a new state-of the –art brewery which produces Punter, Tipster, and Stakes ales – all named after horseracing references but equally apt for the stockmarket.

The brewery supplies 300 pubs in addition to Upham’s own outlets and its beers are also stocked by Majestic, Co-Op and Tesco.

Among the pubs in the group are The Thomas Lord at West Meon, The Navigator at Lower Swanwick, The Running Horse at Littleton, The Peat Spade at Longstock, The Mill at Gordleton near Lymington, The White Hart at Overton, and The Hawk Inn at Amport.

Chris Phillips, Upham Chief Executive Officer said: “We have ambitious expansion plans, and see a wealth of opportunities around our existing locations, principally in Hampshire, Berkshire, and Surrey.

Upham’s highly skilled and dedicated team provides a fantastic service, and has created a loyal customer base. We are very much looking forward to the exciting next chapter in Upham’s history.”

Stockbroker Zeus Capital is managing the share sale.